Fluid routing



L. HANSON FLUID ROUTING June 13, 1944.

Filed Sept. 7, 1942 2 Sheets-Sheet l INVENTOR. '7 4m A MA,

ATTORNEY.

June 13,1944. 1.. HANSON 2,351,425

FLUID ROUTING Fil ed Sept. '7, 1942 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 FIG 4 FIG 5 INVENTOR.

' ATTORNEY.

Patented June 13, 1944 FLUID ROUTING Lars Hanson, Syracuse, N. Y., assignor to Carrier Corporation, Syracuse, N. Y., a corporation of Delaware Application September 7, 1942, Serial No. 457,599

1 Claim. (Cl. 29-1573) This invention relates to methods of fluid'routing employed more particularly in connection with shell and tube structures.

The general object of the invention is to provide simple and inexpensive pass partition devices which may readily be inserted-between adjacent series of tubes at an end of a shell, said devices being arranged to cooperate with a gasket positioned between a tube sheet and a fluid distributor head so that the devices and gasket will effectively route fluid from the head in a given course through a plurality of series of fluid passes. 1

- A feature of the invention is the provision of relatively flexible partition strips preferably made of material sufliciently ductile to wedge between adjacent tubes and make permanent contact therewith. The result is that subsequent to positioning of such partition strips between desired series of tubes to form a prescribed pass arrangement, the usual gasket and distributor head may be removed, as when necessary for the purpose of cleaning tubes, without disturbing the pass arrangement.

Another feature of the invention resides in the provision of separable and individual partition strips so arranged at the end of a tube bundle that when wedged between desired seriesof tubes projecting beyond a tube sheet such strips will provide the equivalent of an integral pass arrangement adapted to route fluid in a desired course first through one series of tubes, then through another, and so on. Despite the fact that the strips are initially in separable form, the combination of strips utilized in final positioned form simulatesa composite unified partition arrangement. The advantage flowing from this method of positioning strips is that different of the strips may project between series of tubes to different degrees at different points along the strips. Yet, the outside surface of the strips will be substantially inthe samelplane as an enveloping gasket, onlwhic h a distributor head isfitted.

Further features and objects, making for a saving in size of shell, in reduction of submergence losses, in ease of assembly and disassembly, in permanence of partition structure, as well as in economy of replacement when necessary, and in adaptability for desirable rearrangement of passes, will be apparent from the following written description of a typical form of the invention to be read in connection with the accompanying drawings in which:

Fig. 1 is an exploded diagrammatic view of one end of a shell and tube arrangement fitted with applicants pass partition device;

Fig. 2 is a fragmentary diagrammatic view, in section, showing the inter-relation between a shell and tube structure equipped with applicants partition strips and a liquid distributor head applied to the shell;

Fig. 3 is an enlarged detail illustrating the positioning of a partition strip between adjacent tubes projecting from a tube sheet;

Fig. 4 illustrates a partition strip in the form assumed by it when positioned between adjacen groups of tubes; and Fig. 5 is arsection of a strip in which a metal core is surrounded by a more flexible material.

Considering the drawings, similar designations referring to the similar parts, and without regard to scale, which obviously is different in the several views, the description will first have reference more particularly to Fig. 1. Numeral 6 designates a shell of the type used for coolers and condensers in connection with refrigeration systems, although the invention may be applied to shell and tube structures in general. Tube sheet I is at the end of the shell, and tubes 8 positioned within the shell have their extremities pass through the tube sheet 1 and project beyond it. While the tubes are shown at one end of the shell, it will be understood that the same arrangement also exists at the other end.

Flange piece 9 is provided with bolt holes ID to which distributor head It may be bolted, with gasket I2 positioned between flange 9 and the head II.

The tube sheet '1 may be separate from the flange piece 9 or, if desired, the flange piece may be integral with and an extension of the tube sheet, so that one piece may actually be employed.

The distributor head is provided with liquid supply and return connections 43. Since it is desirable to route liquid from the supply connection through the tubes in a series of passes, numerous expedients have heretofore been employed for directing the flow of liquid back and forth through the series of tubes. Such expedients have normally embraced the use of partitions within the shell in combination with partition means within the head. This has not only resulted in expensive construction of the shell but has also necessitated employing a larger shell than need be utilized with applicants invention. Even when the shell itself was not provided with partition means but only the head arranged with devices for segregating different groups of tubes, the construction was expensive and the increased 

